Had I known how to safe a life
by little-sis3
Summary: One shot; Friendship Story between Ron and Harry based on the song How to safe a life from The Fray; warning: mention of abuse


Disclaimer: Harry Potter or other characters are not my own creation they are just borrowed from J.K. Rowling the song How to Save a Life from the Fray as well

I don't speak English fluently (it's not my mother tongue) but I always want to improve :-) so constructive criticism is welcome

Story plays arount 5th year. Molly already put Harries Name onto the family clock.

Warning: mention of abuse

How To Save A Life – The Fray

I was running, as fast as I could.  
Trying the hardest to catch up to my friend, best friend… or so I thought.  
I wasn't so sure about it anymore.  
Rounding the corner, catching two steps a time, the astronomy tower wasn't far away.  
Dashing the door open, I had to catch my breath.  
There a few steps ahead stood Harry, looking over the grounds of Hogwarts.  
I took a step forward and said, "We need to talk"

_Step one, you say, "We need to talk."  
He walks, you say, "Sit down. It's just a talk."  
He smiles politely back at you  
You stare politely right on through  
Some sort of window to your right  
As he goes left and you stay right  
Between the lines of fear and blame  
You begin to wonder why you came_

Harry slowly turned around and smiled at me,  
telling without words, "okay go on I'm listening"  
Maybe he thought I would tell him about Hermione and me,  
or about some school business,  
because if he knew what I wanted to talk about,  
he definitely wouldn't smile anymore.  
I stared at some imaginary spot under his head,  
fully knowing if I looked into his eyes  
I wouldn't be able to tell him what is on my mind.  
Out of the corner of my eyes I noticed him taking a nervous step to his left.  
He's getting uneasy.

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life_

"This can't go on Harry!", I started.  
"I don't know what you mean.", he retorted.  
"Oh come on don't play dump with me! I know you are wearing a glamour charm! I'm not that stupid!", taking a deep breath I started again, "Look Harry I'm just so worried about you! You always return back from the summer holidays, barely eating the first two weeks at school, being jumpy for a whole month and only speaking to us when it's absolutely necessary… and the month before summer holes the pattern returns, just the other way round. I know something is wrong. Terrible wrong….I just want to help you! Please let me help you, we can work it out together, we can go to Dumbledore or to my parents…."  
Turning his back on me I heard him say, "You are imagine things Ron. Just let it be."

_Let him know that you know best  
'Cause after all you do know best  
Try to slip past his defence  
Without granting innocence  
Lay down a list of what is wrong  
The things you've told him all along  
Pray to God, he hears you  
And I pray to God, he hears you  
_  
Seeing his back turned on me, hearing his voice telling me lies, I just felt my anger turning up and the thought sticking in my head "Not today, you are not brushing me off today. I want the truth and I want it now!"  
Before I could think twice about it, I held my wand in my hand and shouted "Finite Incatem"

_And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life  
_  
The spell hit, and the glamour went down, leaving him so thin I just was glad that no wind was going – it would have blown him away. But oh no, he wasn't just thin, he was also covered in bruises. Red, blue, yellow bruises, various colours, various patterns, one around his neck which resembled hands trying to choke him, a nasty black eye…  
"Yeah I can see how I imagine things", I dryly replied.

_As he begins to raise his voice  
You lower yours and grant him one last choice  
Drive until you lose the road  
Or break with the ones you've followed  
He will do one of two things  
He will admit to everything  
Or he'll say he's just not the same  
And you'll begin to wonder why you came_

" Oh Fuck off Ron! You don't know a thing about my life!" he shouted at me

"No I don't, because you are so closed up! How can I know anything about you or your life if you are so keen on hiding everything!" I retorted "But nonetheless I care about you! About my friend who didn't gave a second thought about going against a troll or getting Ginny out from the chamber of secrets, about my friend who would never ever leave me behind although a werewolf and dementors were close by and about my friend who although, I was an absolute Dunderhead in fourth year, forgave me my trespassing's, in not believing the truth, and restored our friendship although he had no reason to do so. Please I just want to help Harry. I just can't let you get back to those people. Bars on the windows…a cat flap on the door …. I'm not intelligent Harry, but even I can comprehend what everything implicates! … I'm worried about you! Please let me help!"

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life_

"What could you help me with Ron?! You can't do anything about it! So let it fucking be! Voldemort would not only find you, torture your family and finally kill you he would make you and your whole family a primary example! Slaughter you off like pigs and for what? That I would be "safe" for two months a year? I would rather die under the "caring" hands of my relatives than endanger you any further into this crazy war than necessary! Think about your Family, your Parents, Brothers, Sister – they are already doing so much for the order and against Voldemort! It wouldn't be fair to ask more of them, than they are already doing!

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life_

"Harry,…. Do you even realize that you are family too? Not only for me! My whole family think of you as the tenth honourable Weasley family member! My mother even put a clock hand with your name on it to our family clock! Can you even comprehend how much that mean?!"

_How to save a life_

With tear filled eyes he took a look at me and said "No, how could I? I've never had a family before!"

_How to save a life_

I asked him also close to tears, "Please Harry I'm begging you, let not only me, but all your friends and honourable family members help you! I'm sure we will find a solution!"

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life_

"There's no hope and no solution Ron! You don't know the Prophecy! You don't know anything! It's safer for you and all others involved to keep as far away as possible from me! I'm just death and destruction! There's no need to get caught up in the crossfire! Please Ron! Don't involve yourself with matters you aren't able to solve! You were my real first friend and all, but now you have to take care of yourself and don't concern yourself with me!"

He passed me and went down the astronomy tower without passing me a second glance, putting unconsciously the glamour's back into place.

I stood there frozen looking at the dark night sky with it's twinkling stars and asked myself: 'I WAS his real first friend…..Where did I go wrong….'

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life  
How to save a life_

_How to save a life _


End file.
